At twenty-six, Cricket Campbell feels stuck; adrift in early adulthood and weighed down by grief from a tragedy a decade earlier. When her father is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and her sister Nina suggests moving him into memory care, Cricket instead returns to her childhood home to become his caretaker, hoping to repair their relationship and find some direction of her own. Back at Catwood Pond, Cricket discovers that as her father’s memory fades, he begins to exhibit a strange and unexpected ability to predict the future. Moving between past and present, this heartfelt novel explores how memory can both anchor us and set us free, and how sometimes the only way forward is to return to where we began.
Ughhh I love and hate books like this. On one hand, it’s beautifully written, thoughtful, and emotionally complex. On the other, it made me deeply sad in that way only books that hit too close to home can. Alzheimer’s is one of the cruelest diseases, and as someone who has watched it wreak havoc (and who is navigating the reality of aging parents) this was a sensitive and heavy read for me. That said, Hoen does a fantastic job portraying the realities of caregiving while still allowing Cricket and Nina to have their own lives, struggles, and growth outside of their father’s illness.
The pacing is slow and reflective, told through both present-day chapters and glimpses into the past, and I felt both Cricket’s growth and her floundering very clearly. As someone in my mid-30s who still doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up, I deeply sympathized with Cricket’s uncertainty and inertia. The “oracle” element was a bit unrealistic, but I found it fun and ultimately meaningful; it gave the characters purpose and added emotional depth rather than distracting from the story. If you’re looking for a book that feels ‘real’ and quietly powerful, this absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR.
I both listened and read this one, and I highly recommend the audio!
AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKSHOP |★★★★
Before I Forget is out now. Huge thank you to Zibby Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.
